Composite wall tile



Dec. 29, 1931. R. P. STRANAHAN COMPOSITE WALL TILE Filed Dec. 23, 1929 METHLL/C FO/L (RH/ 7 PRI E)? fi a I Patented Dec. 29, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT STBAN'AHIAI, OI LOUISVILLE, mum, ABSIGNOB .l'O REYNOLDS METALS 00mm, or LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE comma wan. m Application a, was. Serial n. 415,541.

The present invention relates material and has to do with atile-like article or substance.

It is well known that tile is high grade structure. There is a demand for tile in kitchens, bath-rooms, and in many other places, including hospitals, public convenience stations, and the like.

The cost of tile is almost prohibitive, however, and for this reason, many substitutes therefor have been proposed.

It is one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a member of an entirely new and distinctive character which will take the place of tile, and also to provide a building sheet which will have the appearance of tile but which can be manufactured more cheaply, and which can be much more readily installed than tile,

A secondary object of the invention is to provide a new and novel buildin material.

These objects and such other 0 jects as may hereinafter appear are obtained by the novel structure, the unique combination, and improved combination of the several elements of the invention, two forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and in which Figure l is a plan view of a material sheet embodying one form of the invention, parts thereof being broken away to illustrate the details of structure;

Figure 2 is a similar view of the second form of the invention; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse section illustrative of the laminated structure employed in both forms.

Like reference characters are used to designate similar parts in the drawings and in the description of the invention hereinafter given.

The two forms of the invention difi'er primarily as to edge details and size, but other- Wise, they are substantially identical.

The base or body of the material or tile is any material of a nature which will not warp, which is normally dry, which does not readily absorb water, which will not change its configuration or size incidentally to chan in temperature and humidit and whic i s cheap. y

Certain forms of wood may be employed, but in the present instance the body, so marked, comprises plaster board which normally. is a layer of well mixed and well made, really dry plaster, so indicated, faced on each side with paper, so marked, which adheres closely to t e plaster central portion.

Such material may be sawed or otherwise shaped, and, because it is not affected by humidity, moisture or heat, it provides a most satisfactory base, particularly in view of its production generally throughout the United States.

To such a base, a laminated sheet is applied. Such laminated sheet comprises kraft aper upon which a thin sheet of foil of aluminum, tin or composition is adhesively secured by the use of asphaltum or similar mucilaginous material. The laminated sheet is marked in the drawings by its component elements.

Such paper backed foil is produced by selecting a suitable weight of kraft paper, applying thereover the asphaltum, and then impressing the metallic foil thereover, running the laminated material through a set of rollers for obtaining substantial smoothness and freedom from rough surface.

As the laminated sheet and the plaster board are both faced with paper, a glue may be applied to one or the other of the paper surfaces to join them together. Suitable roller pressure may be applied to produce a smooth adhesion between the two. Upon the application of a lacquer, so indicated, to the external metallic foil, a finished tile is obtained.

Of course, the paper backing for the foil sheet may be omitted when desired, the result being that the metal sheet will then be adhesivly secured to one of the paper faces of the plaster board.

In the larger sheet, Figure 2, there is no metallic material extending around the edges of the tile. The material shown in Figure 2 is intended to be manufactured in large sheets and for that reason the surface is scored (see lines thereover) to give the effect of tile, this being done anterior to the application of lacquer to the metallic surfaces thereof.

In Figure 1, the tile has a surface which is smaller than in Figure 2. The metallic sheet and paper extend around the edges of the body and may, if desired, overlap upon the back surfaces thereof. The foil kraft sheet is carefully applied so that the face of the edges will be smooth, the edges being plane so that an intimate contact with adjacent blocks of the same material may be had.

The material, when produced in either of its forms, is inexpensive to manufacture. It may be produced wherever plaster board or a similar base is available. The material is easily applied, for the form shown in Figure 2 is readily sawed or cut to meet the len hs, angles, and irregularities in wall sur aces. The form shown in Figure l is laid much in the fashion of other tile except that it requires less time, less material, less cement, and a less skill for application.

When a wall is coated with either of the tiles, the wall is impervious to moisture. Because of the close adhesion of the metal and paper face to the plaster board, the material is very substantial, the kraft paper and metal sheet reenforcing the plaster board to a considerable extent.

Altogether, a highly satisfactory new material' for the finishing of walls and ceilings has been produced.

I claim:

A new article of manufacture for use as a wall covering and comprising a core of nonwarping, unshrinkable material having at each side thereof a paper coating, one of said sides having an overcoating of glue over which is superimposed a paper of tougher texture, there being a layer of asphaltum on said tougher paper to which is secured a thin sheet of highly flexible metal, the outer surface of which is covered with lacquer.

ROBERT P. STRANAHAN. 

